Orbolution wins going away in P. G. Johnson

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. » Some people might have wanted to see another race on turf before backing Orbolution at 3- 5 in Thursday’s $ 100,000 P. G. Johnson Stakes. But then only one of his six opponents had raced more than once on that surface. As it was, Orbolution ran back to his easy maiden win here on Jul 23, taking over in mid- stretch and streaking to a 4 ¾ length triumph.

Mentality made the early running, leading the way through a moderate half- mile in : 47: 85. The two- year- old Freud filly started drifting out coming off the turn, leaving room for Orbolution to get through. Wild N Ready was coming on the outside, but the eventual winner was clear within a few strides and was not threatened to

the wire.

“I trained the mare, My Rachel, and she was nice on turf, so I wasn’t surprised

that ( Orbolution) ended up the turf,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “She was training pretty well on the dirt, and she was precocious. Oncewe got the opportunity to put her on the grass, it allowed her to show what she’s capable of.”

Wild N Ready held second over Sassy Sienna. Mentality, Romantic Babe, Life Time Citizen and Oldfashioned Style followed in that order. The time for 8 ½ furlongs over a firm Inner Turf course was 1 minute, 43.18 seconds.

“It’s pretty impressive for a young filly,” Pletcher added. “It wasn’t a big hole that she shot through. She has a great turn of foot. She’s thriving, and I think she’s gained weight since her last race. She just seems to be physically developing.” have a running back.

“It was an outstanding look, one that we weren’t able to achieve in practice. Our scout team is tremendous, but scrimmages are different, the competition is different and to be able to do that I think helped us.”

Guilderland brings a traditional high- powered aerial attack and quick strike offense that has always challenged the Plainsmen and other squads through the years.

“Defensively we held them out of the end zone, our front four were real solid,” Clawson said. “I think we’re big up front, we have a very good defensive line four across.

“The linebackers were active, they flowed to the ball well, they tackled well and the secondary did a nice job too. They were covering the receivers very well and active in the alley versus their running game.”

If the Plainsmen can avoid a shootout it will make the debut of Shenendehowa junior quarterback, five- foot nine- inch Brendan Belott smoother

“I think Brendan is ready,” Clawson said. “He’s had preparation in the offseason, he had two team camps, he had two 7- on- 7 ( tournaments) with high end competition.

“He got a great experience last week in the scrimmage, so it’s all about playing the game, it’s about being a little confident in himself, he’s very level- headed, he’s got a good personality.”

For senior running back Griffin Wallner, if he’s not receiving a pass out of the backfield, he will be looking to run over the edges for big gains and keeping the Dutchmen defense guessing.

“We expect them to put a lot of points on the board, but our defense is ready to get after them,” Griffin Wallner said. “Our offense is also ready to get after their defense.”

He remembers walking off his home field with the 47- 44 loss weighing on his shoulders.

“It hurt for sure,” Wallner said. “We’re ready to get back out there and get after them.”

Senior wide receiver Devin Disonell is not afraid to take a win in enemy territory Friday night.

“We like to treat every opponent the same, but it’s definately a little bit different that its Guilderland,” Devin Disonell said. “They had our number last year and we felt like that was a game where we could have won if a couple of plays went different ways. We’re excited to get after it. We just feel that we’re prepared and ready to go.”

With the tough road opener Clawson was as anxious as his players to strap on the pads and take a trip back in time and take his own turn under center.

“The game last year was a personal shot at our pridewe felt because itwas a back- and- forth game, we showed tremendous character coming back in the fourth quarter, but it’s all about the win or the loss and we didn’t win,” Clawson said. “I thinkwe’remotivated from that perspective to get back on the field.

“There is great anticipation from everyone in our community for tomorrow night’s game. Guilderland is a very tough opponent, they always play us tough regardless, every single year, Dan Pena runs a greatprogram, theyhave good, skilled position players and they’re going to be around the football. We know that and we’ll have to be ready to go.”